Projects Update and Cost Comparison

Orders from Renegade, Brigade Games, and Warweb arrived. Renegade sent an e-mail stating that prices are rising (once again) and that orders paced before June 20th will be at the old rate. New rate for regiments may be up to BP19.95. That is a substantial increase from the current BP14.95. Just last year regiments were offered at BP11.95. Still, including shipping Renegade offers a good value. I recently calculated the post-paid cost per figure (on a 24 figure basis, before the price increase) as: 

• Renegade: $1.43
• Crusader: $1.90
• Aventine: $2.03 

Given the unit cost above, Renegade would get the bulk of my business with Aventine running second. With Renegade's proposed price increase, I may look more towards Aventine since their models are quite stunning. Eliot from Renegade says that shipping rates to the USA will likely drop with the price increase. The current shipping rate to USA is 40% of order value which usually is quite close to actual shipping charged. 
After much too long, the group is finally meeting at Scott's new house for a RFF game of Iuka on the 18th to christen the game table. Rumors are that Don and Scott R. will be driving up from Nez Perce for the weekend festivities. 

15mm Second War of Italian Independence Project:
Two battalions of Austrian foot are finished. Now, the 7th regiment musters its full complement of four battalions and IR17 has battalion #1 completed.

18mm SYW Project:
Two more Prussian cavalry squadrons are on the painting table. Again, I will be fielding the 5th squadron from each of Dragoon Regiment #2 and Dragoon Regiment #4 .

28mm Ancients (2nd Punic War):
One 24 figure unit of Renegade Principes have been completed with LBM shield transfers. The Renegade figures are slightly chunkier, heftier, and a bit taller than the Aventine Romans but even with close side-by-side scrutiny, the two manufacturers' figures work nicely together. The Crusader figures are about the same size as Aventine but the body proportions are less anatomically pleasing. To my eyes, the arms on the Crusader Greek hoplites appear too short. Aventine and Crusader could be mixed within the same unit and perhaps Aventine and Renegade too. I will likely keep them in separate units and from a tabletop perspective all three will look good.